Carpet-sweeper



(No Model.)

G. W. GATES.

CARPET SWEEPER. No. 246,493. Patented Aug. 30,1881.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. GATES, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

CARPET-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,493, dated August 30, 1881.

ApplicationfiledNovember18,1880. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. GATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is perspective view of the sweeper; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 3, an end view with the flap closed; and Fig. 4: an end view with the flap raised, a portion thereof being broken away.

Ourinvention relates to carpet-sweepers, and has for its object, principally, the production of a sweeper in which the brush is raised or lowered at the will of the operator, and in which the flap that closes the ends of the dust-pans is kept closed by the handle when in one position, and permitted to be opened when in another position; and to the attainment of these ends it consists in the construction of parts and in the combinations hereinafter described, and then sought to be specifically defined by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the letterA indicates the shell of the sweeper, which is provided within its interior with the two dust-pans B, both of which are open at one end, at which end they each rest on the rigid shoe M, and are provided with flanges d, through which and the plate K rivets are passed, whereby those ends of the pans are held rigidly and securely in place and the plate K stiffened. Between these pans there isjournaled the usual brush, 0, one end of which fits between the frictional drive wheels D, which are journaled in one end of the box or shell, and preferably in any of the wellknown ways, so as to admit of lateral and vertical adjustment. The journal a of this end of the brush-shaft has its bearing in the socketplate E, which is made preferably as shownthat is, with a socket at one point and an incline or bevel from it to the other end, so as to uphold the end of the brush next thereto and control its movement. The journal a, at the other end of the brush-shaft, passes through a slotted plate and a slotted flap at the end of the shell, and has its bearing in one end of the bail-handle. The slot through which thejournal of the brush-shaft passes islarge enough to permit the shaft to be raised and lowered, so as to present more or less of the bristles of the brush below the base of the shell, and thereby increase or decrease the pressure of the brush upon the floor and regulate the amountot' friction between the floor and brush. The brush in this instance is raised and lowered by the bail I and rod G, which together constitute the handle of the sweeper. One end of the bail has a pintle, H, which turns in a hole made in one end of the shell, and the other end has a pintle, Ipreferably, though not so of necessity, shoulderedwhich passes through and has its bearing in a curved slot, J, in the plate K, and forms the fulcrum or pivotal point of the bail and brush-shaft. Through this arm of the hail the journal of the brush-shaft passes and in ithas its bearing, and as the bail is raised or lowered the brush is elevated or depressed, presenting more or less of the brush-bristles below the shell. The pintle which passes through the slot J travels therein, and the slot serves as a guide for the same and a fulcrum for the brush support. By the construction and arran gementot the handle as thus described, the same can be reversed or turned over the sweeper, so as to run the sweeper either way, and by this arrangement, also, the pressure of the brush can be better regulated and controlled than if the handle were rigidly attached to the brush -roller and its lower end did not move in a groove.

The flap L is hinged at its top to the shell, as represented, and when down closes the otherwise open ends of the dust-pans. An opening or slotis made in the flap, between its ends,about or around one arm of the bail F, so as to permit thefia p to be raised when the bail is in a suitable position therefor. This flap laps the plate K, so that when closed it, together with the plate, practically closes that end of the shell and prevents the sweepin gs escaping from the pans. During the operation of sweeping the bail F is in an inclined position and covers the flap L, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, so as to keep the flap down or closed. When the sweepings are to be discharged from the pans the bail is in an upright position over the openingin theflap, so as to leave theflap free to be swung open either by raising it or tilting the sweeper, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and at of the drawings. \Vhen the bail is in an upright position the brush is elevated so that its bristles will not be below the shell, as represented in Figs. 2 and 4, and the bail is upheld in that position by a knob, b, on the inside of one arm of the bail, anda double incline, c, on the side ofplate K, or theirequivalents, theknob bearing against theincline, so as to hold the bail in an upright position out of the way when the sweeper is not in use. I

Byjournaling the brush as described, the operator can at will bear heavily or lightlyagainst the floor with the bristles, as necessity may require, by simply lowering or raising the handle of the sweeper.

Both ends ofthe sweeper may be constructed and the brush journaled as described, and illustrated by the end views ot'Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and I prefer to make them so, and when so construct ed the sweepings can bedischarged from either end of the dust-pans and the brush adjusted evenly from one end to the other.

Modifications of the foregoing constructions can be made and used without departing from the spiritof myinvention, which isin rendering the brush adjustable by pressure upon the bandle and in keeping the end flap closed by the bail or other attachment connected with the handle, so that the flap will be kept closed or permitted to be-opened by the lnow ementof the handle or some connection therewith.

Having described myinvention, wh at I claim 1. In acarpet-sweepcr, the combination, with the slotted end flap of the shell hinged above the bru sli-sh aft, ofahandle con n ected with the shell below the brush-shaf t and adapted,when placed in one po sition,to keep the flap closed, and when in another position, to permit it to be opened, substantially as set forth.

2. In a carpet-sweeper, the combination of an adjustable brush with the slotted end flap of the shell, and a handle connected to the shell and the brush-sh aft for elevating or depressing the brushand for controlling the opening and closing of the flap, substantially as shown and de scribed.

3. The combinationofbailF,adjustable brush l, slotted plate K, and apintle,l, connected to the bail and passed into the slotted plate, substan tially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of shell A, plate K, and slotted flap L and bail F, substantially as shown and described.

- In testimony whereof I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE \V. GATES.

Witnesses:

LIEVEN VANDERMEER, A. B. J UDD. 

